SDO21063 - Castle Hill Motte and Bailey Castle, Cranborne, Dorset: Condition and Management Assessment under Countryside Stewardship

‘In February 2023, Cotswold Archaeology was commissioned by REDACTED BY CONTRACTOR on behalf of the REDACTED BY CONTRACTOR to undertake a Condition and Management Assessment under Countryside Stewardship for the Castle Hill Scheduled Monument, Edmondsham Estate, Cranborne, Dorset (HE List Entry 1004560). The area included within the assessment encompasses the Scheduled Monument and a buffer area. The monument comprises the surviving earthworks of a motte and bailey castle on the summit of Castle Hill, overlooking the River Crane which lies c.260m to the north. The monument itself is partially under mature tree cover. This document considers the historical background of Castle Hill, along with its condition and current management. It also comprises a detailed gazetteer, informed by ground surveys, which identifies key earthwork elements of the monument. This records their form, condition, significance relative to other elements within the Site and specific recommendations for their conservation and protection. Surveys conducted as part of this assessment include a Phase 1 Ecological Survey, an Arboricultural Survey, and a Geophysical Survey. General management recommendations are also outlined, along with a costed management plan and schedule. An earthwork assessment was also undertaken to identify areas of erosion within the Site. A number of erosion scars were identified and recommendations and costs for their repair are also provided. The principal threats identified on the Site comprise root damage and truncation to buried archaeological and upstanding earthworks resulting from the presence of trees and ground covering scrub, including bracken. Ground clearance of scrub, along with the staged clearance of vulnerable trees is recommended, with a management principle of no new tree planting within the Site. The aim is to maintain and improve the grass sward covering the main earthworks. It is concluded that this is the most efficient approach to the preservation, appreciation and long-term survival of these nationally important remains.’